The former NRL footballer Jarrod McCracken was blunt when it was
suggested one of the players who had just spear-tackled him
demonstrated remorse by bending over him and touching his arm.

While conceding he could not remember much after the tackle and
that he himself had once been cited for a spear tackle, McCracken
drew on his knowledge of the game and the idea of remorse.

"There's been times when I've been on the ground and numerous
people on the opposing side ... have been degrading towards me. I
don't think once in my entire career has anyone said, 'I'm
sorry'.

"The majority want me hurt. It's the nature of the game - it's a
contact sport. If I am hurt on the ground maybe they see that they
have achieved their goal."

McCracken, who was playing for Wests Tigers at the time of the
tackle in May 2000, is suing the Melbourne Storm Rugby League
Football Club and two of its former players, Stephen Kearney and
Marcus Bai. He says the tackle - in which his 106-kilogram body was
propelled head first into the ground - was intentional and ended
his professional career.

Kearney and Bai had other options to stop him, he said. "I
believe there was ample time for either player to pull out of the
spear tackle they were making."

The NSW Supreme Court heard that when McCracken was not in his
football boots during the 1990s he became a successful property
developer in Queensland.

McCracken, now 34, said he had a property portfolio of about $20
million, with about $15 million owing in mortgages for his
industrial, residential and commercial ventures.

The court heard that when he played for Parramatta during the
late 1990s he was on a $500,000 contract. For tax reasons he
received a wage of less than $50,000 from the club, and the
remainder went directly into paying for his properties, and fringe
benefits tax.

When he moved to Wests Tigers his net salary, after paying
$165,000 in tax, was $195,651.

Cross-examined by Robert Sheldon, for the players, McCracken
agreed that in 1992 he had been cited for a spear tackle. In 1993
he had been cited over a fight and in 1998 he was cited for
striking. He rejected that he lacked judgement.

"He intentionally struck me, I intentionally struck him back,"
he said. He said he was known as a hard player and thought that the
message of his dominance was more important than the three-match
suspension he received.

In June 1998 he was cited for a dangerous throw but said that it
was not intentional.

Bai and Kearney, who now play in England, will give evidence by
videolink during a night sitting of the court today.